Deeplinks Blog posts about NSA Spying

Yesterday, the New York Times ran the story "Early Test for Obama on Domestic Spying Views", describing the national security-related issues facing the incoming Obama Administration. Chief among them is the issue of immunity for telecoms that illegally assisted in the National Security Agency's warrantless wiretapping program:

In perhaps the most critical test, civil liberties groups that are suing major phone companies that took part in the N.S.A. program are waiting to find out whether a federal judge will throw out the lawsuits based on immunity granted by Congress in June.

A few weeks back, we produced a new graphic to accompany our new case against the government, Jewel v. NSA, challenging the Bush administration's illegal spying program. The graphic is a retooling of the NSA's logo, featuring a glowering eagle using his talons to illegally plug into the nation's telecommunications system — with the help of telecom giant AT&T.

By popular demand, we are now offering t-shirts featuring our NSA logo in an exclusive offer to members only. With a donation of $65 or more you can help us continue the fight against illegal spying and receive a shirt (as well as other premiums) in return. Your support makes our work possible! Thank you!

In his Word of the Day commentary yesterday, Stephen Colbert put forward a ringing defense of the NSA's spying program. Responding to reports that NSA employees are routinely listening in on the personal calls of US soldiers and aid workers stationed abroad, Colbert reminds viewers that "it's a lot easier to listen to Americans, they speak English."

This has been a bad week for President Bush's warrantless wiretapping program. First, a government study reported that data-mining is actually a hindrance in the fight against terrorism. And now, two new whistleblowers have come forward with firsthand accounts of how innocent Americans' communications have been swept up in the NSA's dragnet.

Late Friday night, the Government started the formal process for retroactive immunity for the telecommunications companies sued by EFF and others for their involvement in the warrantless surveillance of millions of ordinary Americans. The immunity is a key part of the unconstitutional FISA Amendments Act passed by Congress in July. EFF will be challenging the new law as unconstitutional and that challenge is set for a hearing before federal judge Vaughn Walker, along with the government's dismissal motion [PDF], on December 2, 2008. To support its attempt to shut the courthouse doors on plaintiffs, the Government filed a "certification" from Attorney General Mukasey. The key substance of the Government's submission was filed in secret with the court, but the Attorney General also filed a public certification [PDF].